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4.45 AVERAGE
4.45 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Sherlock Holmes is truly one of my favorite fictional characters. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote him perfectly in my opinion- he’s a complex, intriguing character who makes incredible deductions. Holmes is both slightly mythological and yet an incredibly real character. His brilliance is balanced by his human fallibilities. I’ve enjoyed every Sherlock Holmes story I’ve read because it’s always fascinating to read Holmes’ explanation of the case. John Watson’s perspective is the perfect counterpart, as he is just like the rest of us (though his many contributions are a bit unsung). Our beloved Dr. Watson if anything makes the stories more real, and as Holmes remarks, they would not be half as interesting if he wrote them. I purchased my 1938 copy of “The Complete Sherlock Holmes” in 2020, started reading it on the first day of 2021, and finished it on a snowy day in the beginning of 2022. I feel a little sadness about finishing it, as I have read and been with this book for so long. I am certain, though, that I will return to the marvelous world of 221b Baker Street in the not too distant future.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Did not read the collection. I listened to the full collection twice on Audible, with the narration by Simon Vance. I listened to all nine volumes on two separate occasion a few years apart.
They're comforting, classically mysterious, and overall a wonderful peek into the Victorian minds and society of the 19th century. It's a wonderful collection, elevated even further by Vance's narration. It's not surprising the books themselves are some of the most popular in the English language.
They're comforting, classically mysterious, and overall a wonderful peek into the Victorian minds and society of the 19th century. It's a wonderful collection, elevated even further by Vance's narration. It's not surprising the books themselves are some of the most popular in the English language.
I got to the 82% before my loan expired and I don't have a desire to go back and finish the rest of it. It's Sherlock Holms. It's a bit racist and classiest, Doyle names almost every female character 'Mary W", he reused the same plot twice, and even had the same-- word for word-- cold open in two different stories. Overall, it's fine. 2.5-3 stars
I'm just mad that I don't have any new Sherlock Holmes books to read.
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It gets repetitive to read a formulaic detective story about a hundred times, but hey, it's pretty fun for most of it
The stories are marvelous, and just as delightful to read as when I was a kid. This is beyond question for me, even though it might be hard to distinguish nostalgia from a more serious opinion. No matter - I'll be reading these stories forever.
The low mark, however, is specifically for this edition. While the binding and design are fine enough, the text has an egregious amount of typos and punctuation errors, to the point of being distracting. It's like the production company didn't bother with editors or galley proofs. It's a mystery how there can be so many mistakes in a text that's been in almost continuous printing for a century.
If you simply wish to read Sherlock Holmes stories, almost all of them are out of copyright, and you can get legitimate free ebook versions. If you want a nice collector's edition for your bookshelf - as I did, when I purchased this volume at the Sherlock Holmes Museum in London - this printing is not it.
The low mark, however, is specifically for this edition. While the binding and design are fine enough, the text has an egregious amount of typos and punctuation errors, to the point of being distracting. It's like the production company didn't bother with editors or galley proofs. It's a mystery how there can be so many mistakes in a text that's been in almost continuous printing for a century.
If you simply wish to read Sherlock Holmes stories, almost all of them are out of copyright, and you can get legitimate free ebook versions. If you want a nice collector's edition for your bookshelf - as I did, when I purchased this volume at the Sherlock Holmes Museum in London - this printing is not it.